


Why Have One When Two Is Better?

by brokenpromisesandhope



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Canon Compliant, Dating, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Meddling Kids, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations, Protectiveness, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 07:05:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15431631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenpromisesandhope/pseuds/brokenpromisesandhope
Summary: 5 Times the kids have no clue who Nancy is dating, and the one time they find out.





	Why Have One When Two Is Better?

**Author's Note:**

> I got a prompt on tumblr for Stoncy telling the kids about their relationship and honestly a few months later.. here I am.   
> Please comment/kudos.   
> xx  
> T

“So did we ever figure out if Nancy is dating Steve or Jonathan?” Lucas asks randomly, one afternoon during a game of D and D. 

“Steve or Jonathan?” El asks. 

“Yeah, the rumors around school are insane. And she was dating Steve, but I always see her with Jonathan. Like what’s the deal?” Dustin asks Mike. 

“First of all, why do you guys think I care? Also, last time I saw her she was with Jonathan.” 

“I just saw her with Steve,” Max says.

“Maybe she’s cheating on one with the other,” Mike says rolling his eyes, “I honestly don’t wanna think about my sister’s sex life, so can we drop it?” 

“As founder of, Nancy Wheeler is the hottest girl in Hawkins fan club, I can’t drop it.” Dustin says, over the rim of his Coke. 

“As co-founder, neither can I,” says Lucas. 

Max smacks his arm and Will busts out laughing. 

*  
It’s not until everyone is heading out of the basement, Max and Lucas holding hands, Will lingering back to talk with El about whatever happened on their current favorite reality show, Dustin and Mike arguing over the last piece of pizza, when they see Nancy on the couch, on Jonathan’s lap, making out in a PG-13/borderline R way. 

Lucas wolf whistles and Nancy all but jumps off Jonathan, straightening her skirt, 

“God Mike, can’t you-” 

“Knock?” He mocks, “On the living room door. You have a bedroom for a reason Nancy!” 

“Bow chicka wow wow,” Dustin whistles. 

Nancy chucks a pillow towards them and they run to the door laughing,  
“I’ll see you at home Will,” says Jonathan, following Nancy up the stairs. 

“I won’t wait up,” Will says, yanking on his shoes. 

“Guess we got our answer,” says Max, opening the door. 

 

** 

Dustin wasn’t even thinking about it, truly. He’s worried about what he’s gonna do this weekend, and if the guys are gonna be ready for their next game, when he sees them. He’s walking through the high school to cut across to the West Lot where his bike is parked and he sees her, because he always sees her. 

Her hair is up in a bun today and she’s wearing big hoop earrings and bright pink lipstick. He’d already complimented her sweater this morning when he’d seen her and Mike walk in, a fuchsia cropped thing with high rise skinny jeans and white vans and she’s leaning awfully close to Steve Harrington, her arm on his shoulder.

“Hey Steve,” he says, coming up and smacking his shoulder, knocking Nancy’s hand off, “Hey Nance.” 

“Dustin,” Steve takes a step back and runs a hand through his hair, “what’s up?” 

“Oh nothing, just headed to get my bike. Actually, could you give me a ride home?” Dustin asks, looking between the two of them. 

Nancy’s chewing on her bottom lip and Steve is looking at Dustin like he just interrupted something important. But he clearly couldn’t have, because Nancy is dating Jonathan. And you can’t be interrupting something when you’re talking to someone else’s girlfriend.. right? 

“Well, I was actually gonna give Nancy a ride home,” says Steve, smiling at her. 

Dustin looks between them and Nancy’s lips curl into a smile and she twirls a loose strand of hair around her finger. Dustin doesn’t know if he’s imagining this or what. 

“Hey Nancy, where’s Jonathan?” 

That seems to shake her a bit and she drops the piece of hair,  
“He’s working today.”

Dustin hums,  
“Then you have no problem dropping me off too, right Steve?” He asks. 

“Of course not buddy,” Steve ruffles his hair and slings his backpack over his shoulder, “let’s go”. 

They get across the parking lot and Dustin runs to jump in the passenger seat of Steve’s car,  
“Shotgun!” He yells, grinning at Nancy who looks livid. 

Her and Steve exchange a look and finally she sighs and gets into the backseat. Dustin doesn’t give them a chance to talk as he rambles about his day, and Steve and Nancy hum at all the right parts. It’s not until they miss the turn to Nancy’s that Dustin stops,  
“Why aren’t you bringing Nancy home first?” 

“Cause it’s your turn.” 

“But my house is farther away.” 

“So?” 

“Steve. What the hell?” Dustin demands. 

“Steve it’s fine, maybe you should, just drop me off first,” Nancy says. 

“Um, okay?” He says confused. 

He pulls into a random driveway and turns around. He pulls into the Wheeler’s driveway and Nancy hesitates before grabbing her bag and getting out. Both boys watch her walk inside and as soon as the door closes, Dustin is whacking Steve on the arm, 

“You do know she has a boyfriend, right?” 

Steve just smiles and starts reversing,  
“I know she does.” 

 

***  
Lucas doesn’t care. He doesn’t. He’d gotten over Nancy a long time ago. She was just Mike’s hot older sister now. But that doesn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate her right? Besides. Nancy was cool. They were sixteen now and she’d let them each drink approximately one beer before she cut them off. Steve Harrington had been supervising their bonfire with her and he’d laughed and bet her that he could drink more than her. So while they were pretending to be buzzed off of one beer, Steve and Nancy chugged the rest of the pack and flirted and everytime they did anything remotely close to PG-13, Mike whipped a marshmallow at them.  
Lucas has never seen Nancy as wasted as that night. As loud and carefree. She’d pulled her clips down from her hair and shook her chestnut curls over her shoulder and told El to crank up the radio and tried to dance until she nearly fell in the fire. Steve grabbed her around her waist until she fell in his lap instead and she started kissing his neck in a very not appropriate way, so Steve picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, tucking her face into his neck, and he brought her up to go to sleep.  
Which is why he’d always thought she was with Steve. It made sense. Nancy and Steve. Steve and Nancy. But that doesn’t explain why he’s walking back from dropping Erica off at her friend’s and he passes the Wheeler’s. It’s still light out, the promise of summer lingering in the background and he sees Jonathan and Nancy sitting on the porch. Nancy’s got her head on Jonathan’s shoulder and a leg slung over his, but when she sees him, she waves him over. 

It takes her a minute to get untangled from Jonathan, moving extremely slow. Once Lucas steps on the porch he realizes why. The stench of weed is heavy, Jonathan’s lids low, Nancy’s eyes red. She gives him a hug anyway, 

“How are you Lucas?” 

“I’m good Nancy.” 

“Good! Ready for summer vacation?” She asks, as Jonathan looks up at him and gives him a slight wave. 

“Of course,” Lucas says. 

“Me too,” says Nancy, “I’m gonna spend every day at Steve’s pool. You kids are invited of course! It never gets good use.”  
Lucas raises an eyebrow at her but she’s too high to notice,  
“Um, maybe. Look I gotta get home before it gets dark. Sorry Nancy,” he adds, because she looks genuinely sad. She has been so much nicer since The Upside Down. She cares about them, Lucas knows, but, he’s confused. He likes Steve. Steve helped them too. He likes Jonathan. He likes Nancy too but he can’t, he doesn’t know how to get involved in their drama. 

“Jonathan, walk Lucas home,” Nancy says, giving Lucas another hug. 

“That’s okay!” Lucas says quickly. 

“No, he’ll walk you home.” 

“Nance, I don’t,” Jonathan starts. 

Nancy walks over and crouches down to Jonathan. She leans over his body to whisper in his ear and Lucas looks away. Technically he didn’t see anything. He can just say he didn’t know what he really saw. By the time he looks back, Jonathan is standing up, and Nancy smiles, and kisses his cheek,  
“I’ll be waiting for you,” she says softly, “Have a goodnight Lucas.” 

He gives a slight wave and wonders if he should talk to Mike about it, before Jonathan falls into step with him and they head on the ten minute walk to his house. They’re silent the entire time. 

 

****

El loves hanging out with Nancy. She’s never had an older girl around to treat her like a sister. There had been a girl, in the lab. She was a bit older than El, with brown skin and soft black hair that she had taught El how to braid. But that was a long time ago. Now it was just her and Hopper. Mrs.Byers’ was there too, but she was an adult. Sometimes it was better to have someone closer to her age, who tried. And Nancy did. Which is why she’s currently laying on Nancy’s bed, watching her get ready. 

Mike is at Will’s and is supposed to meet them at the movies for a date. She’d gotten El ready earlier. Given her a tiny braid in the front of her hair, applied some shimmery eyeshadow and mascara, before letting El pick a lip gloss. She could fit in some of Nancy’s old clothes, so it’s not that surprising when she asks to wear an outfit. She dresses in a long sleeved pink dress that has little roses on it and spends fifteen minutes looking in the mirror before she allows Nancy to get ready herself. 

Currently, she’s sitting at her vanity, applying winged eyeliner and El watches her in fascination as she pulls the skin taught and uses the brush to apply the dark liner. When she’s done, she holds the mascara wand to her eye and blinks rapidly. 

“Why are you getting all dolled up?” El asks. 

“After I drop you all off, I have a date.” 

“Ooh. You’re going to look very pretty.” 

Nancy smiles at her in the mirror, 

“I sure hope so.” 

“At the movies too?” 

“No, probably a movie night in.” 

“Okay!” El nods, and drops it. 

Nancy dresses in a jean skirt and a mustard yellow tank top, and El thinks she looks very pretty and tells her as much. El is excited, she gets to have Nancy all to herself for another twenty minutes to the theater until Jonathan and Mike meet them. So she’s surprised when she’s sliding on her shoes and the doorbell rings. Nancy rushes to get it, and opens it, tossing her pretty brown hair over her shoulder, 

“Hey!” 

It’s Steve, he’s wearing jeans, a button down and a smile. Nancy gives him a hug and then turns to El, 

“Come on! Our ride is here.” 

El raises an eyebrow, 

“I thought it was a date night.”  
Nancy just smiles at her, 

“It is, silly girl.” 

At least Nancy sits in the back with her, making fun of Steve’s music choices the whole way to the theater. 

 

***** 

Mike tries to stay out of his sister’s personal life. For many reasons. He appreciates the truce they have now, how The Upside Down has made them closer. He likes that she spends time with him alone now. He also appreciates that she’s happy, and brushes her hair everyday now. Makes herself presentable to leave the house. Which is why he really doesn’t want to know who she’s getting dressed up for. Steve or Jonathan. 

It’s a Sunday morning, his parents are at church with Holly, he hadn’t had to go, and neither had Nancy. It was a rare time, where he could relax in the living room in his boxers and watch TV. He wondered if Nancy could be persuaded to make waffles when she wakes up, when he hears someone coming down the stairs. He mutes the TV and turns to look, thinking his luck just got better. 

He nearly falls over when he sees Steve, in his boxers, headed to the kitchen. He runs his hand through his hair and gives Mike a lazy smile, 

“Hey man, how you doing?” 

Mike swallows, 

“Um, good. You?” 

“Good. I’m just gonna make some eggs. Your sister is still sleeping, do you want some?” 

Mike just stares, as Steve easily finds a pan, spatula, the butter and eggs. Like he’s done it a million times before, 

“Um, I’m good. I’m gonna go shower.” And he runs up the stairs. 

He takes an abnormally long shower, and doesn’t come out of his room until he hears the front door open and close. He’s ready to go confront his sister. She cannot cheat on Jonathan! He’s Will’s brother. He helped her take down the lab. But Steve helped too. He doesn’t know what to say. But he has to say something. She can’t just parade them around the house! Or if she is with Steve and not Jonathan she needs to make it clear. Or if she’s with Jonathan and not Steve she needs to make that clear too!

 

“Goddammit,” he mutters, stomping downstairs. 

He freezes on the bottom step, because there, in the doorway, is his sister, still in her pajamas, kissing Jonathan, who’s still in his work uniform, like they haven’t seen each other in years. He turns and sprints up the stairs, all but slamming his door, leaning against it, heart racing. He is too young to deal with this. His sister is crazy. 

****** 

Max is not up Nancy Wheeler’s ass. She is not. Just because she thinks Nancy is pretty, that doesn’t mean anything. So does El! So does Dustin! Even her boyfriend does! She’s also nice. She’d tried to spend time with Max. Invite her to do nails together, or watch TV. It’s not her fault that Max bites her nails down to the nub and doesn’t care about typical girly stuff. Not that that’s all Nancy does! She was a total badass and helped them escape from The Upside Down, she was more than doing her nails and reading romance novels. But Nancy doesn’t let that stop her. She asks Max about skateboarding. She even tries once, which was hilarious. Nancy Wheeler, her hair up in a high ponytail, wearing jeans and ballet flats, trying to skateboard. She’d fallen of course, laughing as Max helped her up. It was adorable. And Max appreciated it. But pretty people cannot get away with things just because they’re pretty. And that is why Max is on Steve Harrington’s doorstep. 

Steve is also pretty. But Steve helped her with Billy. He’d risked his life to save hers. And that meant the world to her. Nancy had been there too. She’d helped save Will. El. Close the seal. And Jonathan too. They were all there. It was a bit like Mom and Dad divorcing all over again. Because she loves them all. And she was unprepared to see Nancy freaking Wheeler kissing Jonathan freaking Byers in her driveway, for all to see, when she’s supposed to be dating Steve freaking Harrington. 

Max bangs on the door, fighting back tears. She’s trying not to get hysterical but there’s gonna be sides, and fighting. Steve opens the door and looks at her a bit shocked, 

“Hey Max, how you doing?” 

“She’s cheating on you!” Max hollers. 

Steve stares at her, before opening the door, 

“Come on in.” 

And so Max tells him the story, arms flailing, voice hysterical and getting louder and louder. He just nods along and gives her a hug, 

“It’s okay Max. It’s gonna be okay. I was actually just headed over to Nancy’s. Can you come with me?” 

She scrunches her nose, 

“I don’t think I should go, I don’t really wanna see her right now. I, I’m on your side,” she swallow hard, “Billy hasn’t bothered me at all since you talked to him. Beat the shit out of him. And, no one ever, no one’s ever done anything like that for me before. I’m on your side I promise! I just, I don’t wanna see Nancy, she’s so nice, and I,” she bites her lip, “this is horrible.” 

Steve shakes his head, 

“Max, calm down. It’s not what you think, I promise.” 

“Not what I think?! She was macking on Jonathan twenty minutes ago! And you wanna go to her house?! I can’t, I’m on your side but I can’t like, slash her tires or anything. You’d have to get Dustin for that.” 

Steve laughs, and grabs her hand, 

“No one’s slashing anyone’s tires. Do you trust me?” 

“I do.” 

“Then come on, I’ll buy you ice cream on the way.” 

By the time they get to Nancy’s, Max has finished her ice cream and Jonathan’s car is in the driveway. Her spine stiffens and Steve gives her an encouraging pat on the shoulder. When they get in the house, Jonathan is standing in the corner near the fireplace, and Nancy is sitting on the coffee table in front of the gang, who’s crowded together on the couch. 

“Thank god,” Nancy says, standing up and heading towards Steve. Steve holds up a hand to her and nudges Max towards the couch. 

She takes a seat and Steve goes up to Jonathan, grabs his arm and leads him to the coffee table. Nancy scoots over until Jonathan can sit on the other side of her, Steve next to him. 

“Alright guys, it’s time we had a little chat,” says Steve. 

“I don’t wanna hear anything she has to say!” Says Will. 

“Hey! That’s my sister!” Says Mike. 

“Well your sister has been cheating on my brother!” 

“She has not!” Mike shouts back. 

“What do you call it?! She’s, she’s a” 

“Don’t you finish that sentence!” Shouts Mike standing up. 

“Will, Mike, calm down! Please!” says Steve, “Sit down.” 

“I wanna hear my sister talk!” Says Mike, “You shut up pretty boy.” 

“Pretty boy?” Steve asks. 

“Yeah Steve, shut up. I wanna hear what she has to say too!” Says Will. 

“You better watch it!” Says Mike loudly. 

“STOP!” Shouts Nancy, “Everyone shut up. Now. Okay, listen. We know you’re all confused, we should have told you earlier but, we were scared. Um, Steve, Jonathan and I are dating.” 

There’s a long stretch of silence. 

“I’m sorry what the hell did you just say?” asks Dustin. 

“We’re together,” says Jonathan. 

“The… three of you?” Asks Max. 

“The three of us,” Nancy confirms. 

“But? No cheating?” asks Will after a moment, looking between the three of them. 

“No cheating,” says Steve, “Nancy is my girlfriend, and Jonathan is my boyfriend.” 

“How? What does that mean? I don’t get it,” says Mike, “How? What?” 

“We don’t know,” says Nancy, “that’s why we didn’t say anything. We were trying to keep it a secret until we figured it out. All we know is we’re together. We want to be together. We like each other. There’s no cheating, because we do everything together. We’re together.” Nancy says slowly, looking around at the kids faces. 

“Um, does anyone have any questions I guess?” Jonathan asks. 

It’s silent for a bit, and then Mike gets up and hugs Nancy. She laughs and wraps her arms around him, ruffling his hair, 

“Thanks for defending me bud.” 

“Mom and Dad are back together!” Dustin shouts, “And um, other dad I guess.” 

Lucas smacks him in the head and Dustin grins, 

“I have a question,” says El, as Nancy wraps her arm around Jonathan, leaning her head on his shoulder, 

“Yes?” Steve smiles at his two partners, relieved that they’ve at least told someone about their relationship. 

“Can I have two boyfriends too?” She asks curiously. 

“And that’s the cue to go get some food. Who’s down?” Steve says standing up, rubbing his sweaty palms on his knees. 

“Me!” All the kids shout, running out to their respective cars. 

Jonathan and Nancy stand up slowly and finally Nancy leans over to kiss both of them quickly, 

“Let’s go boyfriends.” 

The three of them hold hands, and head out to the driveway, before the kids break something.


End file.
